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AMS2759™/11 REV. A
AEROSPACE
MATERIAL SPECIFICATION Issued 2005-04
Reaffirmed 2014-04
Revised 2018-04

Superseding AMS2759/11

(R) Stress Relief of Steel Parts

RATIONALE

AMS2759/11A results from a Five-Year Review and general revision of AMS2759 and its slash specifications.

NOTICE

ORDERING INFORMATION: In addition to that listed in AMS2759, the purchaser shall supply the following information to
the heat treating processor.

• AMS2759/11A

• Cycle 1 or Cycle 2 when stress reliefing austenitic corrosion resistant steels

• Current condition of the parts, and if parts are made from strain hardened material and parts that have been intentionally
cold worked, strain hardened or peened

• Tempering or aging temperature as applicable that was last performed

• Minimum hardness or strength that parts have been heat treated to

• Whether the stress relieve process to be performed is pre-plate, pre-chemical processing, or before other processing

1. SCOPE

1.1 Purpose

This specification, in conjunction with the general requirements for steel heat treatment in AMS2759, establishes
requirements for thermal stress relief treatments of parts manufactured from the following materials:

a. Carbon and low alloy steels

b. Tool steels

c. Precipitation hardening, corrosion resistant and maraging steels

d. Austenitic corrosion resistant steels

e. Martensitic corrosion resistant steels

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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1.2 Application

Stress relief of parts is performed to reduce residual stresses and thereby improve dimensional stability, decrease warpage
during subsequent machining, and facilitate subsequent forming operations. It is also performed prior to plating, other
chemical processing or other processing to prevent cracking during processing.

1.3 The provisions of this specification revision shall become effective 90 days after publication.

2. APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

In addition to those listed in AMS2759, the issue of the following documents in effect on the date of the purchase order
forms a part of this specification to the extent specified herein. The supplier may work to a subsequent revision of a
document unless a specific document issue is specified. When the referenced document has been cancelled and no
superseding document has been specified, the last published issue of that document shall apply. In the event of conflict
between the text of this document and references cited herein, the text of this document takes precedence.

2.1 SAE Publications

Available from SAE International, 400 Commonwealth Drive, Warrendale, PA 15096-0001, Tel: 877-606-7323 (inside USA
and Canada) or +1 724-776-4970 (outside USA), www.sae.org.

AMS2759 Heat Treatment of Steel Parts, General Requirements

2.2 ASTM Publications

Available from ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, P.O. Box C700 West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, Tel: 610-
832-9585, www.astm.org.

ASTM A262 Detecting Susceptibility to Intergranular Attack in Austenitic Stainless Steels

3. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

3.1 Pyrometry

Shall be in accordance with AMS2759. Furnaces shall have a minimum of Type D instrumentation.

3.2 Furnace Equipment

Furnaces shall conform to AMS2759 requirements and shall meet Class 5 minimum requirements as specified in AMS2750.

3.2.1 Heating Environment

Shall conform to AMS2759. Use of carbon or ammonia containing atmospheres for stress relieving austenitic stainless
steels at 1650 °F (899 °C), Cycle 1 (see Table 1), is prohibited.

3.2.2 Quenching Equipment

Shall be in accordance with AMS2759.

3.2.3 Quenching Media

Shall be in accordance with AMS2759 and as specified herein.

3.2.4 Auxiliary Equipment

Shall be in accordance with AMS2759.

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3.2.5 Vacuum Furnace Equipment

Shall be in accordance with AMS2759.

3.3 Cleaning Equipment

Shall be in accordance with AMS2759.

3.4 Procedures

Shall be in accordance with AMS2759 and the following.

3.4.1 Stress Relieving

When stress relieving is specified by a purchase order or engineering drawing, parts shall be stress relieved by soaking at
the temperature specified in Table 1 and for the time specified in Table 2. Cooling rate after soaking shall be equivalent to
still air cool or slower except as follows:

3.4.1.1 Parts made from austenitic corrosion-resistant steels, other than grades 321, 347, any other stabilized grade,
304L, 316L, and any other low carbon grade, after soaking at 1650 °F (899 °C) (Cycle 1, see Table 1), shall be
quenched in water or in another medium which tests have shown to provide sufficiently rapid cooling to preclude
carbide precipitation (see 3.5.1).

3.4.1.2 Parts made from strain hardened material (¼ hard, ½ hard, etc.) and parts that have been intentionally cold
worked, strain hardened, or peened shall not be stress relieved.

3.4.1.3 Parts to be plated or chemically processed which have been both heat treated to 40 HRC or higher (see 8.2, 8.3),
or 180 ksi or higher, and ground or cold worked (e.g., formed or straightened) after heat treatment shall be stress
relieved as follows:

3.4.1.3.1 Parts tempered or aged at 400 °F (204 °C) and higher shall be stress relieved at 375 °F (191 °C) for 4 hours
minimum.

3.4.1.3.2 Parts tempered below 400 °F (204 °C) shall be stress relieved at 275 °F (135 °C) for 5 hours minimum (see 8.3).

3.4.1.3.3 Alternative to 3.4.1.3.1 and 3.4.1.3.2, pre-plate and pre-chemical process parts may be stress relieved by
soaking at the temperature specified in Table 1 for the time specified in Table 2 provided parts are inspected to
ensure dimensional integrity. This is not applicable to peened and intentionally cold worked parts, parts made
from strained hardened material, or parts tempered below 400 °F (204 °C).

3.4.2 Process Interruptions

If the stress relieving process is interrupted such that the load cools to below the minimum temperature tolerance, the load
may be re-heated to the stress relieving temperature, and the operation continued until the total time at temperature (time
at temperature prior to the interruption plus time at temperature on the re-heat) is equal to the required time.

3.4.3 Start of Soak

Shall be in accordance with AMS2759. Alternately, when parts are stress relieved in a load with parts receiving another
thermal process (i.e., temper, age, etc.) with a compatible process temperature and soak time, the start of soak shall be
based on the process with the tightest temperature tolerance. (For example, a stress relief order requiring 1025 °F for
2 hours is being processed with a 1025 °F temper (±15 °F) requiring 2 hours. In this case, the soak time for the load would
start based upon the the ±15 °F tolerance.)
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3.5 Properties

3.5.1 Carbide Precipitation

For parts made from austenitic corrosion resistant steels listed in 3.4.1.1, when the means of cooling is other than that
specified in 3.4.1, there shall be no evidence of carbide precipitation when tested in accordance with ASTM A262.

4. QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS

The responsibility for inspection, classification of tests, sampling and testing, approval, records, record retention, and
report/certification shall be in accordance with AMS2759 and as follows.

4.1 Periodic Tests

Shall be in accordance with AMS2759 except as follows.

4.1.1 Quarterly Tests

Quench System Monitoring is not required.

4.2 Preproduction Tests

Quench System Monitoring is not required. Carbide precipitation (3.5.1) shall be tested for prior to any production heat
treatment for each piece of equipment and each alternate means of cooling used.

5. PREPARATION FOR DELIVERY

Shall be in accordance with AMS2759.

6. ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Shall be in accordance with AMS2759.

7. REJECTION

Shall be in accordance with AMS2759.

8. NOTES

Shall be in accordance with AMS2759 and the following:

8.1 Revision Indicator

A change bar (l) located in the left margin is for the convenience of the user in locating areas where technical revisions, not
editorial changes, have been made to the previous issue of this document. An (R) symbol to the left of the document title
indicates a complete revision of the document, including technical revisions. Change bars and (R) are not used in original
publications, nor in documents that contain editorial changes only.

8.2 Hardness conversion tables for metals are presented in ASTM E140.

8.3 Carburized parts and parts made from alloys such as 52100 and 440C are frequently tempered at temperatures below
375 °F (191 °C), thus requiring lower stress relief temperatures.

8.4 Terms used in AMS are clarified in ARP1917.

8.5 Dimensions and properties in inch/pound units and the Fahrenheit temperatures are primary; dimensions and
properties in SI units and the Celsius temperatures are shown as approximate equivalents of the primary units and
are presented only for information.
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Table 1 - Stress relieving temperature

Alloy Condition Temperature °F (°C) (4)

Annealed or
1000 to 1250 °F (537 to 677 °C)
Normalized
Prior to carburization,
regardless of 900 to 1250 °F (482 to 677 °C)
Carbon & Low Alloy Steels condition
Quenched and 50 °F (28 °C) below tempering
Tempered temperature
Nitrided 800 °F (427 °C)
Unhardened 1000 to 1250 °F (537 to 677 °C)
Quenched and 50 °F (28 °C) below tempering
Tool Steels
Tempered temperature
Nitrided 800 °F (427 °C)
100 °F (55 °C) below aging
Precipitation Hardening Corrosion Age Hardened
temperature
Resistant and Maraging Steels
Nitrided 800 °F (427 °C)
Austenitic Corrosion Resistant Steels
(201,202, 300 series) see 3.4
All
Cycle 1 (see 3.5.1) (1) (3) 1650 °F (899 °C)(5)
Cycle 2 (2) ( 3) 700 °F (371 °C)
Unhardened 1300 °F (704 °C)
Martensitic Corrosion Resistant Steels
(400 series) Quenched and 50 °F (28 °C) below tempering
Tempered temperature
NOTES:
(1) Cycle 1 provides maximum stress relief, improvement in stress-corrosion resistance and facilitation of
subsequent forming operations. It is not intended for dimensional stabilization.
(2) Cycle 2 may be used when it is impractical to use the Cycle 1, or after Cycle 1, or without Cycle 1, to
improve dimensional stability.
(3) If no cycle is specified, Cycle 1 shall be used.
(4) Temperatures listed are set points regardless if a range or a single temperature is specified.
(5) When stress relieving after welding is specified, hold for 30 minutes minimum at the annealing temperature
(see AMS2759/4) followed by water quenching or 2 hours using Cycle 2.
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Table 2 - Soaking time for stress relieving

Minimum Soaking
Stress Relieving Part Thickness (1)
Sensor Type Time
Temperature °F (°C) Inch (mm)
Hour
Up to 650 °F (343 °C) 2
Working Up to 1.0 inch (25.4 mm)
Over 650 °F (343 °C) 1
Up to 650 °F (343 °C) (2)
Working Over 1.0 inch (25.4 mm) (2)
Over 650 °F (343 °C)
Up to 650 °F (343 °C) 1
Load Up to 1.0 inch (25.4 mm)
Over 650 °F (343 °C) 0.5
Up to 650 °F (343 °C) (2)
Load Over 1.0 inch (25.4 mm) (2)
Over 650 °F (343 °C)
NOTES:
(1) Thickness is the minimum dimension of the heaviest section.
(2) The minimum time shall be increased by 0.5 hour for each 0.5 inch (12.7 mm) of thickness over 1 inch
(25.4 mm).

PREPARED BY AMS COMMITTEE “B” AND AMEC